-- Yet another album due March 9: Beat the Devil's Tattoo, the fifth effort from Jesus and Mary Chain disciples Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. Vagrant is responsible for releasing this one, in partnership with the band's own Abstract Dragon imprint.

-- February 4-14, Poland's experimental Unsound Festival is coming to venues around New York for the first time. Carl Craig, Tim Hecker, Vladislav Delay, Pole, FaltyDL, Legowelt, Mountains, Radian, Untold, and a whole mess of obscure Europeans will perform. Several events will be dedicated to Andy Warhol.

By Tom Breihan
on December 17, 2009 at 6:15 p.m. EST

By Tom Breihan
on December 17, 2009 at 5:55 p.m. EST

-- The eighth issue of Yeti, the zine/journal published by Pitchfork contributor Mike McGonigal, is out now. As always, it includes a compilation CD of rare and unreleased tracks. On this one, you'll get music from the late Jim Dickinson, Vaselines, Ty Segall, White Rainbow, Vampire Hands, and others.

-- On February 16, Fat Possum will release Minor Love, the sixth album from former Moldy Peach Adam Green. Little Joy's Rodrigo Amarante and Devendra/Joanna collaborator Noah Georgeson guest, but Green plays most of the instruments on the album himself.

-- John Davis, formerly of Q and Not U and Georgie James now has a solo project called Title Tracks. On February 9, he'll release debut album It Was Easy, via Ernest Jenning. Camera Obscura's Tracyanne Campbell guests.

-- The Sounds Like Brooklyn festival will take over the Brooklyn Academy of Music's Howard Gilman Opera House and various other Brooklyn venues January 29 - February 6. Les SavyFav, Ra Ra Riot, Rain Machine, the Antlers, Vivian Girls, Anti-Pop Consortium, and Dan Zanes and Friends will all take part.

By Tom Breihan
on December 17, 2009 at 3:00 p.m. EST

This week, whistling heartthrob Andrew Bird drops his very own iTunes SessionEP via Fat Possum, available only from iTunes, of course. The EP includes live versions of songs from several Bird albums, as well as a seven-minute medly called "Sweetmatter". Check below for the tracklist.

By Tom Breihan
on December 17, 2009 at 11:15 a.m. EST

By Tom Breihan
on December 15, 2009 at 6:35 p.m. EST

-- At some point in February, Three: Four will release Does Your Cat Know My Dog?: Bad Bonn's Selection for the New Ear, a limited edition 12" compilation curated by the folks behind Switzerland's Bad Bonn festival. Sonic Youth, Bonnie "Prince" Billy, and Sunn O))) all contribute rare and unreleased music, and the LP artwork was made by Half Japanese's Jad Fair (see above).

-- The Pacific Northwestern funk-punk duo Panther is breaking up; they'll play their final show at the Portland venue Rontom's this Sunday, December 20. Sad news, but at least now we'll stop confusing them with Panthers and Japanther.

-- California indie pop youngsters the Morning Benders have signed to Rough Trade. On March 9, the label will release Big Echo, their sophomore album, produced by frontman Christopher Chu and Grizzly Bear's Chris Taylor.

-- The hilariously named EuroSonicNoorderslag festival will go down in the Dutch town of Groningen January 14-16. Los Campesinos, Annie, Serena Maneesh, We Were Promised Jetpacks, Choir of Young Believers, Shining, Ungdomskulen, and tons of other European acts will take part.